USA > Illinois > Ogle County > Mount Morris > Mount Morris : past and present, an illustrated history of the village of Mount Morris, Ogle County, Illinois > Part 1
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MOUNT MORRIS PAST AND PRESENT THE REVISED EDITION
Harry G. Kable
LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 977.332
K11m 1938
ILILLINOISHISTORICAL 'SURVEY LIBRARY
Putmall 237/2 1-3
MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT
Revised Edition
MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT Revised Edition
An Illustrated History of the Village of Mount Morris Ogle County, Illinois
CELEBRATING THE ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SETTLEMENT OF MOUNT MORRIS
First Edition Published in 1900 by Kable Brothers Second Edition Published in 1938 by Harry G. Kable
COPYRIGHT, 1938, BY H. G. KABLE
EXPLANATION
The most of the illustrations used in this vol- ume were not made especially for this purpose but were gathered from various sources, largely from the files of the Mount Morris Index. This accounts for the fact that there is such a va- riety of sizes and screens, which naturally de- tracts from the typographical appearance of the book.
KABLE BROTHERS COMPANY, MOUNT MORRIS, ILL.
KIM
This revised edition of
"MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT" is dedicated to the memory of my twin brother HARVEY J. KABLE who passed away April 13, 1931
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
http://archive.org/details/mountmorrispastp00ilkabl
Preface To Revised Edition
An old Latin author wrote: "Many great men lived before Agamemnon, but that all memorial of them had perished for want of a chronicler."
T HIRTY-EIGHT years have elapsed since my brother and I, then at the rather youthful age of twenty years, attempted the somewhat pre- tentious task of compiling and printing a history of Mount Morris. Fortunately at that time, many of the original pioneers of the township who came here as early as 1837 were still living and first-hand information was available by personally interviewing these men and women who were ac- tually the first white people to inhabit the village and who endured the hardships of those early days in building their log cabins and breaking the virgin prairie.
Aside from the tremendous task of compiling the matter contained in the book, the mechanical work of typesetting and printing the book was no small undertaking with the meagre equipment in the office of the Mount Morris Index which about that time had just moved into the old frame building vacated by the Brethren Publishing House located on the northeastern corner of the college campus. The type was set by hand and the printing done two pages at a time on a job press. A great deal of the actual me- chanical work was done by A. H. Rittenhouse and the excellent job of print- ing of the book can be attributed to his ability as a printer.
In bringing out this second edition of "Mount Morris: Past and Present" some of the original matter has been omitted and the balance brought up to date. Many more pictures have been added and the value of the old pic- tures increased by more complete descriptive matter.
One difficult problem in connection with compiling accurate data in regard to the early history of Mount Morris is the unfortunate fact that no files have been preserved of the newspapers published in the village up to the year 1896. Half a dozen newspapers were published intermittently during the period from 1842 to 1896 but only a few scattered copies have been found. Doubtless many important happenings could have been gleaned from these old newspapers had they been available.
The one hundredth anniversary of the founding of the village seems to be an appropriate time to bring this history up to date. It is therefore hoped by the author that the effort and expense of this edition will be justified. At any rate, the task of rewriting and revising the book has been a pleasant one and well worth the effort in personal satisfaction. Many persons have generously given valuable assistance in this work, for which the author is more than grateful.
This volume also marks the fortieth anniversary of the founding of Kable Brothers Company, which started as an ordinary country newspaper plant in September, 1898, and grew from almost nothing to a gigantic printing establishment, employing over eight hundred people.
September, 1938.
HARRY G. KABLE.
CONTENTS
Chapter
Page
1. EARLY HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT 11
2. EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES. 39
3. INCORPORATION OF THE VILLAGE 77
4. INCORPORATION OF THE TOWNSHIP 93
5. ROCK RIVER SEMINARY 101
6. MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE 117
7. THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS 155
8. VILLAGE NEWSPAPERS 207
9. THE PRINTING INDUSTRY 221
10. COMING OF THE RAILROAD
245
11. TORNADOES
251
12. CEMETERIES 261
13. WAR HISTORY
,273
14. THE POST OFFICE
299
15. RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
309
16. MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS 333
17. MISCELLANEOUS ORGANIZATIONS
351
18. MEN AND WOMEN OF YESTERDAY
365
19. MISCELLANEOUS BIOGRAPHIES AND PICTURES 391
20. MOUNT MORRIS OF TODAY 413
INDEX of Illustrations and Biographies 451
MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT
Revised Edition
Chapter I
EARLY HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT
T HE year 1937 marked an impor- tant milestone in the history of Mount Morris. Over one hun- dred years have passed since the first immigrants from the eastern states pushed their way across mountains and rivers to what was then the wild fron- tier of civilization,-the State of Illi- nois. A company of these pioneers from the State of Maryland made the first permanent settlement in the wilderness which now under a far different ap- pearance bears the name of Mount Mor- ris. Here, where the primeval forest had never been traversed, save by the foot of the red man or by herds of deer and other game, they hewed the rough timber for their dwellings, and estab- lished themselves in a colony for the purpose of promoting their general welfare. How well they succeeded, the far-reaching influence of the school they established and the charming little town of Mount Morris are living testimonials.
If by some magic power, one could be carried back a century and view this area from the air, there would appear an unbroken expanse of prairie grass, dotted here and there with patches of wild flowers and covered with tall grass so heavy in some places as to be al- most impassable. Flanked on all sides would appear an irregular fringe of tim- ber. How beautiful in its wild solitude, compared with what we see today!
A description of the region around Mount Morris as it appeared in 1837, as told by the first settlers, is most fas- cinating. The present site of the vil- lage was an open prairie. What is now the center of the business section was then the crest of a hill of considerable size, the land sloping from it in all di- rections. Before the view was obstruct- ed by buildings and trees, the altitude of this hill was very perceptible. Most
of the ravines and hollows were in a wet, boggy state; and the streams and ponds retained the water from rains much longer than now. There abound- ed hundreds of flowing springs, which have long since ceased to flow, owing to the tiling of the low places and the development of the soil.
The prairie land on the crest of the hill on which Mount Morris was built contained about ten square miles. This prairie was entirely surrounded by heavy timber. The timber line came very close to the present village limits on the north, but about two or three miles to the east, south and west. The first settlers built their log cabins at the edge of the timber in order to have fuel and building material, and invari- ably near some of the fine springs of cool, running water.
The log cabins built at that time were of the most primitive character. They were generally one-story structures, with no modern conveniences of any kind. The roofs were made of clap- boards which consisted of thin slabs called "shakes," about three or four feet long, split from logs. In the absence of nails, the tiers of these rude shingles were held down by lodge poles. These cabins generally consisted of only one or two rooms with sometimes an attic, reached through a hole in the ceiling with a pole ladder. The floors gener- ally consisted of the bare ground and the furniture was of the most meagre home-made sort.
As mentioned before, the first settlers built their cabins along the edge of the timber. Later arrivals, however, real- izing the value of the fertile prairie land, started to take up claims there. Probably the first prairie sod was plowed in 1834, but many years passed before the entire prairie was cultivated.
11
12
MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT
JOHN PHELPS had the distinction of being the first white man to settle in the vicinity of Mount Morris. He was born in Bedford County, Va., on August 8, 1796, and in 1810 moved with his father to Wilson County, Tenn. In September, 1814, he enlisted in the army and fought through the campaign against the British at New Orleans. His biography tells of terrible hardships endured in going to and from his home and New Orleans. He came to Illinois in 1827 and located at Galena where he opened a store and engaged in lead mining. In 1833, he came down Rock River on an exploring ex- pedition and entered a claim several miles east of the present site of Mount Morris. He built a log cabin on this claim in 1834, the ruins of which can still be seen. He moved his family to this cabin in the spring of 1835. In 1863, he built a fine brick house west of his log cabin, where he lived until his death April 1, 1874, aged 78 years. He is buried in Riverview Cemetery near Oregon. Mr. Phelps was married March 14, 1816, to Sarah Rogan Carlin, who died in 1879. They had three children as follows: James C. T. Phelps, who married Ann E. Swingley; Sarah Phelps, who married Wesley Johnson; Napoleon Phelps (died in 1857), who married Mary Thomas.
13
THE FIRST SETTLERS
Unlike many sections of Illinois, Mount Morris was entirely free from tragedies with the Indians; in fact, the warlike tribes had been driven west- ward before this part of the country be- came settled. Ogle County was origi- nally a part of the hunting grounds of the Winnebagoes and Potawatomies, and their trails from one grove to an- other were easily discernable, while hundreds of their arrowheads and other weapons have been and are still being found in all parts of the township. In 1832 occurred the terrible Black Hawk War, and as a result all of the red men, except a few dozen peaceful families, were driven westward. At that early
day, no settlers had yet stopped here and consequently the Indian trouble was all over when civilization began to dawn in this vicinity. The only sight which the early settlers ever got of these swarthy aborigines was an oc- casional band crossing the plains in quest of game. These were the most quiet and peaceful of the Indian tribes of the country, but they finally became dissatisfied with the restrictions of their treaty with the whites and followed their more warlike brethren to the wil- derness west of the Mississippi, leaving their former lands free to the onward march of civilization.
THE FIRST SETTLERS
F ROM the most reliable information, it appears that John Phelps was the original pioneer in this vicinity, having visited the county and taken up a claim several miles east of Mount Morris in November, 1833. He returned in 1834 and built the log cabin, a picture of which appears in this chapter, and the following year moved his family to the cabin, arriving on the 17th day of May, 1835. Mr. Phelps wrote an autobiogra- phy, in which he tells of the events leading up to his settlement in Ogle County. A part of it is here reproduced: "I had conceived a plan and formed a fixed determination to explore the beautiful valley of Rock River, which I had passed through in the year 1829. My object was to make a location as near as possible on a true line leading from Chicago to Galena, believing at some future day at the crossing at Rock River, it would be a very important point. In order to get all the light I could in regard to this locality, I care- fully examined the map of the territory embracing the Rock River Valley, the locality of Chicago and that of Galena, ascertaining the distance. Both places stand south of the northern boundary of the state. All things being arranged, the Frenchman and myself set out on our exploring expedition from near Mineral Point on the Pecatonica in a small canoe. We expected to reach Rock River in two days but owing to the crookedness of the stream it was
seven days before we reached it. By this time our scanty supply of provi- sions had given out and we were forced to supply ourselves by the aid of our guns. We found pheasants, squirrels and other game were plentiful. We lived well with the exception of bread.
"We descended Rock River to where Rockford is now located; there we made a short stop and examined that section on both sides of the river, but we found too great a scarcity of timber for a settlement, besides I believed it too near the state line; that the true line from Chicago to Galena was far south of that place. We then descended to where Byron now stands. There we stopped and looked at the surrounding country, believing that was about far enough south, but there was the same objection on account of timber. We still pursued our journey down the river about one mile above where Oregon now stands. We saw a tent on the west bank of the river, near the northeast corner of the present fair grounds. I said to my com- panion, 'There is an Indian wigwam, we will stop and see if we can get some- thing to eat.' He said it was no wigwam but a white man's tent. We landed and, going to the tent, I was agreeably sur- prised to meet my old friend, Col. Wm. Hamilton, a son of the celebrated Alex. Hamilton who was killed in a duel by Aaron Burr. I had made his acquaint- ance in my early settlement in the lead mines. I had not seen him for five or
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MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT
THIS LOG CABIN was undoubtedly the first white man's habitation built in the vicinity of Mount Morris. It was erected by John Phelps in 1834 on the edge of the timber at a spot about two miles east of Mount Morris on the farm now owned by Martin Buhs, a short distance from State Route 64. The above picture was taken prob- ably twenty-five years ago, but since that time the roof has fallen in and very little is left of this historic building. It is to be greatly regretted that something was not done to permanently preserve this historic spot and keep the cabin in repair.
THE ABOVE is all that remains in 1938 of the old Phelps log cabin built in 1834. The old fireplaces at each end of the cabin are still standing.
15
THE MARYLAND COLONY
six years. He seemed astonished to meet me amongst the Indians and in- quired what had brought me there. I told him I was on an exploring expedi- tion to look at the country and if I liked it, to locate and make it my home. He said I need not go any further, that I was in the right spot. He said he had a contract from the Government to sur- vey into townships a large portion of the Rock River country. He said he could give me directions where I could fine one of the best locations he had ever seen, that it embraced good tim- ber, good water with a beautiful rolling prairie running down between two fine groves of timber about three miles west of where we were. We were hungry and he had dinner prepared for us. He was about to raise camp and prosecute his work on his line. He had been there a day or two, cooking and pre- paring to continue his work. After we had finished eating, he took down his tent, packed up and started on his line, but before he left he gave us a week's supply of bread and cut a middling of bacon in two and gave us half. Being thus supplied with provisions we had nothing to prevent us from making a thorough examination on both sides of the river. This being done I was satis- fied it would make a fine settlement. I made the first claim where my farm is. My next object was to make a claim where I intended making the road from Galena to cross the river. On exam-
ining the bank on both sides, found there could be a good road where Ore- gon now stands, so I made my claim there. This was in November, 1833. The object of our journey being ac- complished and fully satisfactory, we packed our blankets, left our canoe and steered our course for the lead mines on foot. We arrived there in three days, undergoing much fatigue, hardship and suffering on our route.
"In the spring of 1834, with my two brothers, B. T. and G. W. Phelps, one hired man and myself, we set out from Schuyler County with teams, provi- sions, and farming implements to com- mence opening the farm on which I now live. We planted and fenced forty acres in corn, built a house and re- turned home with the intention of moving my family up that fall, but on reflection, it was thought best to win- ter there, as we had plenty of food for our stock at home and would move up early in the spring. So my brother, B. T., and myself came up in the fall to gather the corn and build a ferry boat. After we had gathered our corn we re- turned home. I moved the family up in the spring of 1835, arriving on the 17th day of May, and found all our corn had been taken by the Indians and had to depend upon grass to supply my teams and haul our provisions from Galena. We laid out the road in the fall from Chicago to. Galena and early in the spring laid out the town of Oregon."
THE MARYLAND COLONY
IN the summer of 1836, Samuel M. Hitt and Capt. Nathaniel Swingley came on an exploring trip from Wash- ington County, Md., to the locality now known as Mount Morris Township and found the Phelps family living on their claim east of Mount Morris; Larkin Baker had a cabin and a claim about four miles southeast, subsequently owned by Daniel Price; David Worden lived several miles southwest; and probably several others had settled along the edge of the timber.
Hitt and Swingley went out upon the prairie and made several claims, in- cluding the present site of Mount Mor-
ris. They remained here during the summer but in the autumn returned to Maryland and hired a number of men to settle with them in the new country, promising to pay them one dollar per day for service in building houses, split- ting rails, building fence, breaking the prairie and harvesting the crops. Among those thus engaged were Michael Bovey, Adam, Daniel and John Stover, Balka Niehoff, Samuel Grove, Eli Householder, William McDannel, Abram and Jona- than Myers, and Fred Finkbohnar.
This party started for their new homes in the west in the spring of 1837. Householder, McDannel, and Daniel
16
MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT
Stover were accompanied by their
wives. Mrs. Elizabeth Ankney (sister
of Nathaniel Swingley), with her little son, Albertus, and her daughter, Anna, was also a member of the party. (Anna later married Wm. Watts.) They trav- eled by wagons to Wheeling, W. Va., by boat on the Ohio, Mississippi and Illinois Rivers to Peru, and the remain- ing distance by wagon. Early in the
CAPT. NATHANIEL SWINGLEY was one of the founders of the original "Maryland Colony." He was born at Hagerstown, Md., in November, 1807, and came to Ogle County in the summer of 1836 with Samuel M. Hitt and they took up claims which included the present site of Mount Morris. They returned to Maryland in the fall and then came back with their families in the spring of 1837. Capt. Swingley continued to live in this vicinity for a number of years and later located at Creston where he died March 17, 1883. He married Eliza Sharer, who died in 1879. They had seven children and their descendants are as fol- lows: John H. Swingley, married Sophia Banks; Ann Swingley, married James C. T. Phelps; Nicholas Swingley, married Jane Woodard; Urilla Swingley, married Francis Clark; James A. Swingley, mar- ried Helen Harrison; Jacob Swingley, married Jane Harrison; Upton Swingley, married Frances Potter (died in 1870).
SAMUEL M. HITT was one of the found- ers of Mount Morris. He was the son of Martin and Margaret Hitt and was born in Bourbon County, Ky., Jan. 22, 1799. The family moved to near Urbana, Ohio, where he grew to manhood, later moving to Washington County, Md. In 1823, he married Barbara Ann Hershey, and they became the parents of 12 children, only six of whom lived beyond childhood. They were Andrew M., Robert S., George, John W., Joseph E., and Margaret C., who mar- ried Prof. D. J. Pinckney. Mr. Hitt came to Mount Morris in 1836 with Capt. Na- thaniel Swingley, and they were the first to take up claims on the present site of Mount Morris. They were instrumental in bringing the "Maryland Colony" to Mount Morris. He brought his family in the spring of 1837 and settled on a tract of land northwest of Mount Morris, later known as the Christian Zumdahl farm, where he died, Nov. 16, 1859. Mr. Hitt was engaged in many business enterprises in Mount Morris. He and F. G. Petrie con- ducted a general store in the early forties and he was actively interested in Rock River Seminary.
spring they arrived at a vacant cabin in Fridley's grove, east of the present site of Mount Morris. This cabin had been built and occupied by Judge Ford, afterward governor of the state. Here the first "Maryland Colony," as these settlers were afterward termed, re- mained for two weeks, while the men- folks proceeded to erect their cabins. The first one built by them was a
17
THE MARYLAND COLONY
THIS LOG CABIN was probably built about the year 1836 by Thomas Ford, who later served a term as Governor of Illinois. It was located in what was later known as the Fridley Grove, about three miles east of Mount Morris, later owned by Wilson Glasgow, and it was in this cabin that the first group of settlers from Maryland lived while the men were building other cabins to live in. This cabin was purchased by John Fridley in September, 1837, and Mr. Fridley's sons, John, Benjamin, Andrew, David and Jacob, spent their boyhood days in it. Unfortunately this old landmark burned down a num- ber of years ago.
double log-cabin, on the claim by Mrs. Ankney, about three-quarters of a mile southwest of the present village of Mount Morris. Half of this house was moved, at a later day, down into the grove near a spring, and was finally torn down. The other half stood in the field a few rods east of the former resi- dence of N. A. Watts, and was used as an implement house for a number of years, when it, too, shared the fate of its partner and was torn down for fuel. Unfortunately, no photograph was ever taken of this historic old building. In the two small rooms of this cabin lived four families,-those of Mrs. Ankney and Eli Householder in one part, and Messrs. Stover and McDannel in the other.
While this cabin was being complet- ed, the entire party remained in the Ford cabin. A bake-oven, constructed by Mrs. Ankney, was used in prepar- ing their food, and at night they slept on "wagoner" beds, which consisted of
plain mattresses, rolled up during the day and spread out on the floor at night. Several other cabins were soon com- pleted, however, and the members of the colony became more comfortably located. Mr. Swingley kept the men that he had brought along busily en- gaged in cutting down trees, splitting rails and building fences, and cultivat- ing several small fields of grain for which prairie sod had been broken in the spring.
Of these early settlers who constitut- ed the Maryland colony, most of them remained in the vicinity. Michael Bovey took up a claim northwest of town and lived there until old age com- pelled him to retire, when he moved to town. Eli Householder lived here two years and then moved six miles south, where he died in 1896. Samuel M. Hitt built a log cabin on one of his claims, about three miles west of town, later known as the Zumdahl property. There with his family, in-
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MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT
cluding Margaret, Andrew, Robert, George, John and Joseph, he lived un- til his death in 1859. In 1858, he began the erection of a fine stone residence, and ยท although it was not quite com- pleted, he and his family were living in it at the time of his death. This house was owned and occupied later for many years by Christian Zumdahl. Capt. Nathaniel Swingley, who with
Samuel Hitt brought the Maryland col- ony to Mount Morris, established his claim several miles east of Mount Mor- ris, later known as the Keedy farm. He lived there until 1850 when he joined the rush for the goldfields of Cali- fornia. After three years in California, he returned to Ogle County and locat- ed at Creston, where he died.
THE RICE AND WAGNER FAMILIES
AM MONG the settlers from Washing- ton County, Md., early in the spring of 1837, were the large families of Jacob Rice and John Wagner. Each of these families consisted of ten children and the trip was made overland in "prairie schooners." Imagine if you can the tre- mendous task of these two pioneers of transporting these large families to an unknown new country and providing for their wants far from civilization. One of the children of the Wagner fam- ily, David C. Wagner, told of these ex- periences in a paper which he read at the Ogle County Old Settlers' Reunion held in Mount Morris during the sum- mer of 1904. Part of his address was as follows:
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